Kenya-Leader in Cancer Deaths Across East Africa

So guess which country in East Africa is leading, with the highest number of cancer cases? If you guessed Kenya, you are right. According to the World Health Organization- Globocan 2018 report, the number of cancer deaths in Kenya is 32,987 which is currently the highest in East Africa. Tanzania follows Kenya closely with 28,610, Uganda at 21,829 and Rwanda at 7,662. From these 2018 statistics, the cancer deaths in Kenya is almost 5 times that of Rwanda.

Whereas breast cancer cases are on the rise in Kenya, Cervix uteri cases are most prevalent in the other three East African countries. Apart from breast cancer and cervix uteri cancer, other cancers that are prevalent in the four East African countries are prostate cancer, esophagus cancer and Kaposi sarcoma which is a lead cancer killer in Uganda and Tanzania than it is in Kenya.

It is worth mentioning, that cervical cancer and breast cancer are top killer cancers in Kenya, yet these two cancers can be detected quite early through regular mammograms and pap-smear tests. The question that lingers, “why aren’t more women lining up to have these regular check-up?”